Cancún Tourism Boom Leaves Workers Unable to Afford Housing

Cancún, Mexico — While the city remains one of Mexico’s most visited tourist destinations, housing prices have skyrocketed to unattainable levels for those who sustain the sector: waiters, housekeepers, and hotel employees. The growing demand for short-term rentals and foreign investment have turned access to decent shelter into a daily challenge.

In central areas and near the Hotel Zone, a one-bedroom apartment is priced between 10,000 and 15,000 pesos monthly, according to real estate portals. Properties with ocean views or in complexes with amenities can exceed 25,000 pesos per month, while modest homes in residential subdivisions range between 20,000 and 30,000 pesos, reaching up to 50,000 pesos in premium developments.

The contrast with tourism workers’ incomes is alarming. A waiter earns a base salary between 9,000 and 9,500 pesos, a figure barely above the general minimum wage in effect since January 2026 (315.04 pesos daily, approximately 9,582 pesos monthly). Although tips can increase income in some months, most of the salary goes toward covering rent, leaving little margin for food, transportation, and basic services. Housekeepers and other employees face similar conditions, with low fixed salaries and limited benefits.

Housing pressure intensifies due to the boom in vacation rentals. Platforms like Airbnb have transformed apartments and houses into tourist accommodations, reducing supply for permanent residents and raising prices up to 20% in key areas. Foreign investment funds and corporations specializing in short-term rentals control large blocks of properties, prioritizing tourist profitability over affordable housing.

Faced with this dynamic, many workers are forced to share small spaces, move to distant peripheries, or seek informal income to survive. In affordable subdivisions like Paseos del Mar, Tres Reyes, Avante, and Valle Verde, the most accessible rentals hover around 2,500 pesos monthly for one-bedroom apartments or small houses, but these options limit amenities, transportation, and services, making daily life difficult.

Specialists and residents warn that without urgent measures to regulate short-term rentals and expand affordable housing supply, Cancún risks becoming an exclusive destination for tourists, leaving those who sustain the industry out of the housing market.